IPR

What goods are considered to be counterfeited?

Counterfeited goods are the ones that infringe an industrial intellectual property right. Trademarks, industrial designs, patents etc, which are registered by the Industrial Property Office (IPO) cannot be used without an authorization by the right holder. There are also pirate goods, which are considered as goods that violate the copyright such as illegal copying of CD’s, DVD’s, computer programs etc.

What products are mostly affected from counterfeiting?

All of the products of all economic sectors can be affected from counterfeiting such as:

Counterfeited goods cause major damages for the legal businesses in the country. A lot of major companies make serious investments in order to present their trademarks in the best they can. Even the authorized representatives that have made major investments undergo major losses from goods that are under their exclusive right and which are counterfeited.

Consequences for the clients

Counterfeited goods deceive the clients about the quality, as well as in most of the cases are also dangerous for client’s health and safety, such as foods products, medicaments, cosmetic products etc.

How can the counterfeited goods be distinguished from the original ones?

Some of the indicators that enable you to distinguish counterfeited products from the original one are:

– price is much cheaper;
– the quality and packaging are not of the same level,
– the text contains linguistic errors,
– often there are no distinctive etiquettes or safety seals etc

However, everyday more, counterfeited goods producers are producing goods which from the outer view are very difficult to be distinguished from the original.

What is Customs role for measures of intellectual property rights?

As it is known, Kosovo Customs within the fiscal, economic and protection mission, through legal instruments is obliged to also protect the intellectual property rights, with the purpose of protecting legal business from the unfair competition.

Dynamic progress of trade and economy in the country, endorsement of many multilateral and bilateral agreements, exchange of information with the regional countries, offering of trade and customs facilitations, created the preconditions for integration and membership of our country in the relevant international institutions. All of this in the same time presents a challenge for Kosovo Customs, since one of the most important duties is:

-to protect the business environment, which are bearers and/or users of the same intellectual right, from the unfair competition;
– to protect the client and the public health, from counterfeited goods / piracy from the consequences that they cause;
– possible limitation of losses in the budget revenues of our state, that derive as a consequence of goods that infringe a intellectual property right.

Kosovo Customs based in the Law 03-L/170/2010 and Administrative Instruction 07/2010, is obliged, to protect the intellectual property rights for the goods that enter/exit from the territory of Kosovo or “ex officio”, and to administer the requests for action within protection of intellectual property.

BCP GATE 1 (LEPOSAVIQ)

Border Crossing Point of Gate 1 (Leposaviq)

Since February 18, 2008 the Border Crossing G1 (Gate 1) in Leposaviq is not operational due to the destruction of it when Kosova announced its independence. Presently, at this border crossing, trucks are directed to the Customs Terminal of Mitrovica.

BCP DELTA 31 (ZUBIN POTOK)

Border Crossing Point Delta 31 (Zubin Potok)

Border Crossing Point G31 (Delta 31) in Zubin Potok does not function due to its burn when Kosova announced its independence. Currently trucks from this border crossing are directed to the Mitrovica Customs Terminal.

C.S. MITROVICA

In the Customs station Mitrovica (terminal), all the goods are declared for clearance by the drivers (importers) since there is no precursory procedure due to non-functioning of two border crossing points with Serbia in this part of Kosovo. The necessary documentation is required for every consignment (invoice, CMR, export declaration, etc.) but the trucks are not sealed even if there is a long distance is covered since their entry in Kosovo territory up to the terminal. Performance of customs obligations is necessary when declaring goods at ...

BCP MERDARE

Border crossing point of merdare

Background

Border Crossing Point of Merdare is located at kilometer 37 of the highway Prishtina to Nish between two neighboring countries of Kosova and Serbia, in the North-East of Kosova.
February 26, 2001 is an official start of operations.
Initially at this border crossing all customs procedures of clearance of goods are completed at this point. Clearance of goods is done by the short procedure.
In June 20, 2002 the Customs Terminal in ...

BCP KULLA

The border crossing point Kulla is located int eh north-west part of Peja city, with sea level of 1250 meters and started to work on 14/02/2000 at the time as constituent part of CS Peja.

At this time clearances were performed with transitory procedure only, while starting from 01.06.2000 the regular clearance started to be performed in the terminal which was established in Peja city.
Problems that this station has are not much different from the problems that all other customs points face as well as the entire Customs Service ...

BCP MUTIVODA

As part of the Merdare border crossing point, in fact part of Podujeva Customs Station is also the Border Crossing Point in Mutivoda.

In this BCP goods traffic is not allowed, but only passengers and their personal items carried with them.

Up to last year in this BCP customs officers used to stay to check the entrance in fact to prevent the entry of goods through this point, but from last year with a decision by Customs Senior management, customs officers are removed from this point and this job now is entirely responsibility ...

C.S. PEJA

Customs Station Peja is located in Peja city, 22 km in distance from Border Crossing Point (BCP) Kulla.

All commercial goods from all the regions of BCP Kulla are instructed (or obliged) to go to the customs terminal to continue with customs procedure of goods clearance.

In Peja CS the Veterinary and Phyto-sanitary agency inspectors operate as well, who equip the importer with the required certificates.

In Peja CS except the goods which enter through Kulla BCP, a vehicle clearance is also performed in the interior as ...

C.S. PRISHTINA AIRPORT

Before your arrival in Kosovo, you have to decide about the need to declare items / goods in case you have them with you to Kosovo Customs:

Goods which may be limited or restricted or

Goods that you purchased outside of Kosovo

Goods in higher value that the passenger’s allowances in amount of 175 Euro as well as if you have quantities more than allowed per passenger of tobacco products, alcohol, goods for commercial purposes, or

INTER-EUROPA

INTERNAL CLEARANCE OFFICE

The internal clearance office is located in the road section between Prishtina – Fushë Kosova opposite to the Garrison “Adem Jashari” on the premises of Public Warehouse “Inter-Europa” JSC, industrial zone, street “Lidhja e Pejës” n/n.
This internal customs office started the work on date 06.09.2006 and clearance of goods stored conform the authorization terms that the “Inter-Europa” company possesses as Customs Warehouse Type ...

ZBD Interevropa

ZBD Gjilan

C.S. DHEU I BARDHË

The customs station Dheu i Bardhë started functioning since 09.04.2001 at the time the overall staff at the station was 12 officers and the head of the station, which used to work with 24 hours schedules, while nowadays 28 customs officers are located in this station.

Location

C.S. Dheu i Bardhë is located at the place called “Dheu i Bardhe ” (White Ground) which is administered by the Municipal Assembly of Dardana, former Kamenica. Geographically the station is located in the road section ...

BCP QAFA E MORINËS

Qafa e Morinës is located 22 kilometres from Gjakova city and is the border crossing with Republic of Albania.

Working schedule in Qafa e Morinës according to AI 03/2006:

• From 1st of April – 30th of November 08:00-20:00 hrs (during weekends as well)
• from 1st of December – 31st of March 08:00-19:00 hrs (during weekends as well)

Passengers traffic: 00:00 – 24:00.

All the commercial goods will be cleared by customs officers according to the transitory procedure. The ...

ZBD Ferizaj

BCP MUQIBABA

Within CS Dheu i Bardhë the BCP Muqibaba operates as well, which geographically is under administration of Municipal Assembly of Gjilan; it is located in a distance of more than 20 km from Gjilan, the landscape is mountainous (sea level in this BCP is over 800 m) and is authorized only for passengers traffic.Work schedule

Since month of February of last year in Muqibaba BCP, after consultations with Customs Senior Management in this BCP only two customs officers are engaged to work for 12 hours (08:00-20:00 ...

BCP QAFA E PRUSHIT

Qafa e Prushit is located 10 kilometres from Gjakova city.

Working schedule according to AI No 03/2006 is:

From 1st of April until 30th of November from 08:00 – 20:00 hrs

From 1st of December until 31st of March from 08:00- 19:00 hrs

Passengers traffic: 00.00 – 24.00

This border crossing points started to work according to the AI No 2003/38 on 1st of August 2003 with a limited schedule.

ZBD Ferizaj

BCP GLLOBOÇICA

Border Crossing Point Glloboçica

Besides the border crossing point of Hani i Elezit with the Republic of Macedonia, there is also the border crossing point of Glloboçica.

The border crossing point Glloboçica is located in the 68th kilometre of the highway between Prishtina – Tetova and through this border crossing point only the crossing of vehicles and passengers buses is allowed, in which case clearance of goods carried by passengers is also permitted, but with administrative instruction is forbidden for trucks with ...

C.S. VËRMICA

Geographical position:

Vermica Customs Station is one of the official international border crossing for Kosovo which serves as connection between Kosovo and Albania.
At this border crossing is accomplished the passengers traffic, goods traffic, transporting means, vehicles, as well as clearance and control of goods and passengers.
The border crossing point of Vermica with its geographical position is the only border crossing which serves for the traffic of commercial goods and it’s the point with the ...

C.S. HANI I ELEZIT

• Customs Station in Hani i Elezit
The customs station in Hani i Elezit, is located in the southern part of Republic of Kosovo, in the 70th kilometre of the highway between Prishtina – Skopje. It’s the customs station with the highest inflow of passengers, vehicles and trucks that carry commercial goods for Kosovo markets.
The CS Hani i Elezit is configured into two parts, where Kosovo Customs officials operations are performed: Border Crossing Point and Terminal.